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Ode to a Great Hot Sauce…XX Hot Ring of Fire
By admin | April 19, 2008 |
Submitted by Buddah
Like just about anything you might find in life, people have their own opinions and their own individual tastes. When it comes to hot sauce, there might be an agreement when it comes to many different products, but everyone has their favorites. It isn’t about being biased or pro this or pro that, it is about being true to your tastebuds. There are so many products on the shelf including the ones in my cabinet that have yet to be tasted. So even as I write this, a week or a month or a year down the line, I might have a new hot sauce that will take the place of the one pictured below.
M & D’s Ring of Fire XX Hot Habanero Hot Sauce is one of my favorite hot sauces. Specifically, it is what I would call the best topping on a cheese omelet that I have ever experienced. It is so good on my omelets, I do not use it on anything else, just so I can make it last longer. It might have multi-purpose applications, but for me I don’t want to use it on anything else. I would not be able to review other products if that was the case. I first tried this product after I saw them featured on “Food Finds” on the Food Network. I checked them out on their website at www.mikeanddianes.com, looked right into their different products, and then placed an order for their Original and the XX-Hot versions. I haven’t since tried anything else of theirs, not sure why, but I might have to at some point.
Well folks, I tried the XX-Hot for the first time last summer and had no desire to jump from the hotter sauce to the milder version because the XX-hot one was so good. The bottle isn’t a 5 oz woozy bottle, it is a quality sized 12.5 oz bottle. You get a lot for your money, and it lasts a lot longer. I bought a couple more bottles from Hot Shots for $5 each when I was at the Weekend of Fire, and gave the Original to my Dad. He fell in love with it as well. That was around the time I started to write reviews for TTF. Once I was out of M & D around November I just turned to other hot sauces for reviews and my omelet needs. I found other great hot sauces to use with my eggs, so M & D weren’t missed too badly.
When I met up with Hot Shots at the Fiery Food Show in Albuddahquerque, I knew that I had to get me some more bottles and save on shipping once again. You can’t go wrong at $5 a bottle, so I bought 5 bottles, and gave a couple to friends as gifts. Once I was back home and struggled on which new bottle to open first, I couldn’t deny a tug at my heart to open the M & D product and make myself another great omelet. After a couple of weeks I did just that. I had forgotten how good it was on an omelet. I can’t believe I allowed myself to go so long without this great product. Even worse, why was I giving the bottles away as gifts? I hate being a nice guy sometimes.
Ingredients: Vinegar, Red Ripe Tomatoes, Onions, Habanero Chiles, Roasted Garlic, Roasted Serrano Chiles, Spices, Salt, Sugar
You really have to shake this bottle up so you don’t get the separation of the watery part when you pour it out. It is quite chunky when you do it up right, and this makes it spread well on your food. Omelets, of course for me. The tomato, onion and roasted garlic combo is what attacks your tastebuds first, then the heat rolls into you mouth. It isn’t too hot for most veteran Chileheads, but it will make you sweat a little. There is sweetness to the flavor and it works so well, balanced with that garlicky goodness. If you never tried it, and if tomatoey, garlicky thick hot sauce is your thang, then you have to get this product.
I had the pleasure to meet both Mike & Diane at the Fiery Food Show in the Hot Shots party room. I was in a conversation about their product when Mike Cates of Hot Shots overheard me and told me that both Mike & Diane were 2 feet away sitting on the couch. He introduced me to them, and I flooded them with compliments on their great hot sauce. Small world. Well it was a hot sauce convention, so I guess its not such a small world then. I was surprised at how young they both are and how proud of their product they were. Cowboy George went gaga over them, and had them take a picture which they were more than happy to do. Hey, he loves their products just as much as me.
As I stated at the start, everyone has different tastes. I wanted to tell you about one of my favorite hot sauces and wanted to let people know about it. Maybe I have influenced someone to try it out. If you have a hot sauce you want people to know about, let this thread be your platform. Let your Ode to a Great Hot Sauce be known. There should be no secrets here. I have other favorites, and I have said on more than one occasion that I love certain products. This article is in no way a discredit to those fine products out there because I love so many. I just wanted to recognize M & D for their excellent product because I was inspired over my Sunday morning omelet.
e-mail info@mikeanddianes.com
Telephone: 619-442-0412
Fax: 619-442-0431
U.S. Mail: Mike & Diane’s Gourmet Kitchen, Inc.™
1444 Pioneer Way, Ste #9
El Cajon, CA 92020
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Topics: General, Hot Product Reviews, Reviews | 72 Comments »
:woohoo:#1
now ill go read it and leave a real comment
i bought a bottle of this at JJ’s on buddahs recomendation but havent gotten to it yet. i think it is sold there for less then $5. i might be wrong but it seems like i only paid 3
Nice article/review :nerd:. This is one of my all time favorites as well.
My favorite use for it is with meatballs. Well, to more specific, frozen meatballs. I cook them up in a skillet along with a good portion of the M&D sauce, cooking it down until it becomes a really thick paste that sticks to the meatballs really well. The idea came from an appetizer at a now defunct Thai restaurant here in town. The appetizer was called Fireballs. It was just that, spicy sauce coated meatballs. The M&D was the closest thing I could find that was similar to what the Thai place used. And actaully, I like the M&D version much better!
I would love to meet them one day as you did :nerd:, that was a grat part of the read :bro:.
Gotta get me another bottle of this fine sauce.
Hmmm….I don’t remember recieving a gift
Would have gone nice on my 12 egg Omelet
Morning TTFers
12 egg’s, 12 oz’s? Yep, sounds like a match to me!
Very good read. Nice review/compliment on the product buddah. It really looks good in the bottle. On my list for my next trip to the Jungle. Which just may be today. Headed over in that direction in just a few to kill the day. I love cheese omelets so I’ll give it a try on one.
Tell Bret I said hello.
We carry all of the Ring of Fire products as well as the Mad Anthony’s product that they copack for Michael Anthony of Van Halen fame.
Seriously, great product and the review was the perfect ode to the Ring Of Fire. (insert Johnny Cash music here)
Wicked good stuff. the XX is a favorite, but the Green Tomatillo and the Chipotle Roasted Garlic are stand outs in my books.
The sauces remind of when I made my first salsa recipe back in the day. Fresh, tomatoey, just like it’s right out of the food processor. Freshly whizzed and tasty.
Good review :nerd:. I only nodded off once!
freshly whizzed?
He took the day off. What a loser LOL
Well in that case, pass this message along to him.
You heard me. Freshly whizzed right out of the whizzer.
Were’s my sauce big man
Keyboard broken again?
Thanks for all the nice compliments guys. So where is everyone else’s ode?
Greetings all, & :nerd:,
Thank you for the very kind words. It was completely our pleasure meeting you at the Fiery Food Show. Diane and I sincerely hope to meet more of you next year.
If you like the XX-HOT, just wait until you try the new Ring of Fire “Asian Chile” Marinade coming soon.
For any collectors out there who might give a rats behind about our sauces, in honor of the 15th Anniversary (yes, it’s actually been 15 years that we’ve been coring tomatoes and roasting garlic) of Ring of Fire “Original” Hot Sauce we will be issuing a very special bottle later this year. There will be only 100 of them made and will have a new “Retro” style label commemorating our 15 years of lighting up taste buds. It will come in some kind (as yet undecided) of special box and will also have a custom T-shirt to match the new label in the box. At least with the t-shirt, you have something to show for your purchase instead of just another bottle sitting on a shelf collecting dust.
I honestly have no idea what the response will be to this collectors edition sauce, so I can’t say if we will do it to commemorate the 15th Anniversary of the “X-Tra Hot” version next year.
We will have to see if anyone out there does actually give a rats behind about it or not.
Thanks again and EAT WELL, for life is far too short for bland food!
Mike
Welcome aboard Mike!!
The Ring of Fire sauces have been at the top of my list of favorites for 3-4 yrs now. The Garden Fresh makes for one of the best spaghetti sauces that I’ve ever had.
A collectible from M & D??
Heck yeah! Any idea of a price range for these?
Still here. Sorry. No seals for the cognac bottles. Next week, I hope.
Don’t hate me because I’m disorganized.
Thanks for the Jib Jab by the way. Fooker.
I spoke to Mike & Diane on the phone earlier, you see they actually answer the phone at their number. Mike told me about his collectible and I thought some of you would be interested in it. Both Mike and I prefer to eat the stuff than collect so I told him someone here might be interested.
Thanks Mike for letting me gnaw at your eardrum for a while. Much success to you, and don’t forget about Weekend of Fire, it will be worth the trip even if it is just to hang with the other Chileheads.
As long as there’s no actual rat’s behind in the next sauce, I’m in.
We really love your product up here in Canada.
I promise, no rats ass in the sauce!
Rats ass given! woohoo!
After selling those old crying towel bottles on Ebay, learning who the “mystery” (
)buyer was, and learning a little since then of the history of the M&D sauces, I’ve kicked myself several times over for selling them. 
I’m looking forward to the collectibles for sure!
Welcome aboard TTF Mike! I’m looking forward to seeing the new products from you guys!
or this
CLICK HERE
Hmmmmm who was that?
:fu:
The other “mystery” buyer!
Hey Mike, can I call dibs on the #1?
Number 1 thing to buy at JJ’s is the other line of Ring of Fire. I got to try the ones you guys recommended on TTF and this new Asian Marinade sounds good.
That’s great news!
My friend Paris says this sauce “Is Hot”
what’s up hula girl
You can save that for the collectible. Rats Ass of Fire
I first tried this sauce in 1997 at the FFS in ABQ. It immediately was one of my favorites. Now, when someone asks me what is my favorite sauce made by others, this is my number 1 response. I still haven’t tasted anything that is a match for it. I eat this sauce with chips just like you would salsa. M & D know how I feel about it. I’ve told them everytime I see them. They are as good of people as this is sauce! Looking forward to the collectable for sure, you’ll do well with it.
got to jungle jims this afternoon and forgot the name of this sauce. So I just looked at just about every label there and didn’t see it. I asked if Bret was in and was told he wasn’t. I did end up getting a bottle of AMHS that everyone had been talking about and also a bottle of Kiss of Fire. I did find a neat label on one. I’m Sofa King Stew Ped. Made me think of Blane!
Hudd drop me an email. I’ve got info about the salsa and hot sauce contests at the North Market. You too
if your still thinking about making it. G’Night all…
email your way John
likewise!
Mike, save #13 for me!
I have a couple of the “crying towel” bottles in my collection and love to add this to it!
someone (rats ass parker) outbid me on the japapeno crying towel bottle or I would have the whole collection
:cry:
Welcome to the site Mike, looking forward to the collectible. Will you have XXL shirts?
Make sure you inform TTF when it’s going to be released, there’s alot of hardcore collector’s around here and tons that just Lurk.
I’m glad I made such an impression on you. lol
Hudd shoot me your address, I have something to send you.
Mike #7 and #72 if possible……
there on the bottom shelf under the adult case, all covered in dust. (probly from being so close to the ground)
You better call him up if you want a number. He told me how busy they both are lately, they barely have time to check out any of the blogs. So I was grateful that Mike came by and said anything. I hope he comes back, but not sure if he will have the time. They do answer their own phones unlike a certain NJ-ite.
Boo Friggin Hoo….lol You know everything is for sale Eddie! Besides, It’s the only bottle I have that you don’t
If #1 is still avaliable I’ll take that baby!
email to your armour box.
Hudd you are the 1st to get that bottle. And what sauce were you looking for.
the rest of the bottle of I’m Sofa King Stew Ped. which is 36 will be sign and number and only can get them at the Booth at WOF.
Way to go Hudd, you got the official number 1!!!
or is it -1?
back on topic…anyone try the Ring of Fire Steak Sauce or Tomatillo?